ref date:26 Aug 1999 (TRA)
Labour opens up Prestwick airport near Glasgow to US air freight

It has to be said, after the job blows at viasystems, continental tires
and the Govan shipyards labour has finally done something to
actually help the Scottish economy.

Glasgow Prestwick, an airport second only to London heathrow in terms
of its air freight handling has been given the green light to accept
high volumes of US air freight, starting with Federal Express.

This is GOOD news. Prestwick is ONE HOUR closer to most
US and Canadian cities than Heathrow, it saves fuel to land there
and the connections to Europe by air, road and rail are pretty good.

At last, Labour does something for the Scots, does it offset all the downsides -
NO, but it helps the pain a little.

Up until now, freight jets could land and unload at Prestiwck but then
had to fly away empty due to restrictive work practices designed to secure
all freight handling for airports around London to tyhe detriment of
everyone else!